has been called to serve as a missionary in the Brazil Ribeirao Preto Mission.
Speaking the language of Portuguese
August 11, 2010- August 2012

Monday, September 19, 2011

What Feather!

I absolutely love learning languages. There are some many phrases that, when translated literally, don´t make any sense at all. For example ``que pena´´ translated to ``what feather´´ is used to mean what a shame or pity. I really have no idea how this expression came about but I think it´s hilarious. Another example is when a parent is telling a child to stop misbehaving they say, ``Chega!´´ It means ``arrive´´. So, to you frustrated parents, you can say to your children ´´arrive, arrive´´ when misbehaving. I love weird translations!

Well, this week was another good one. And it looks like we will have another baptism next week. José Henrique is a 21 year old that came to Church two weeks ago with a less active friend. He told us that he was pretty active in other churches but never really felt like they were right. He told us that everytime he would visit a church he would leave and look at the front of the Church and ask God if he should be baptized there. He said he never felt anything when he did this at the other churches. He did it in front of ours and had a thought come into his mind ``you finally found it``. We are pretty excited and he is making a bunch of changes in his life. He just needs to overcome smoking and he will be baptized. Yesterday he only smoked on and promised it was the last one he would ever smoke!

We are still teaching Ana Paula and her daughter Carol. Ana Paula absolutely loves Church. He daughter Carol also likes it a lot but has a ridiculously busy schedule and it doesný always work out for he to attend Church. She is envolved in ballet (the dance, is that how you spell it?) THey both love Church but are still nervous to make the big decision about baptism. Both have said they will, but just feel like it is too soon. Everyone that was already a missionary knows the situation very well. But pretty soon I think they will be baptized. She also has another daughter, Vitória that is 3 years old. Yesterday in Sacrament meeting the bishop gave a talk quoting from general conference ``what have you done with my name?´´ HE asked us ``what have you done in the name of Jesus Christ?´´ Vitória recognized the phrase ``in the name of Jesus Christ`` from all the prayers we say and she shouted in the middle of the talk ``Amen!´´ I love seeing little children already picking up on the simple things.

I can´t believe it has been 10 years already since 9/11. A lot of people were asking me yesterday what it was like to be in the States when it happened. Unfortunately I don´t remember a whole lot that happened. I just remember that we forbidden to ever talk about it at school. I was really annoyed by that. All of the other people my age that I have talked to about 9/11 said they spent the day at school watching the news and discussing what was happening. But I really didn´t see any of it happen live because Valley Oaks Elementary School prohibited any conversation about it. But, wow, What a frightening event. What did the nation do in remembrance yesterday?

Well, let´s not dwell on the sad past. As Joseph Smith said in DC 128:22`` Brethren, shallwenot go on in sogreat a cause? Go forward and not backward. Courage, brethren; and on, on to the victory! Let your hearts rejoice, and be exceedingly glad. Let the earth break forth into singing. Let the dead speak forth anthems of eternal praise to the King Immanuel, who hath ordained, before the world was, that which would enable us to redeem them out of their prison; for the prisoners shallgo free. ´´ The Gospel, despite all the tragedies that occur, will redeem any lost soul and heal any broken heart.